What happens during a regular Sunday Service?
Parking
St. James does not have its own parking lot, but there is street parking in front of the church and a municipal parking lot behind the church. There are also parking lots across the streets on both sides for commercial or medical properties that are available on Sundays.
Before the Service
An usher will greet you at the door with a bulletin, and is available for any questions you might have. As the community gathers you may find yourself greeted by others - we are a welcoming bunch! A small bell will ring two minutes before each service to call people to quiet time to prepare for worship.
During the Service
The first part of the service is all printed in the bulletin. Hymns are found in one of two hymnals in your pew rack: 'Hymnal 1982' - the blue hardbound one, and 'Wonder, Love, and Praise' - the paperback green one. After the sermon you will need to find your way into the red Book of Common Prayer, but page numbers are always announced as well as being printed in the bulletin.
You will notice that we make use of standing, sitting and kneeling - - and for much of the service you will find a variety of postures happening at the same time. We do NOT all do the same things here, although a general rule of thumb might be: we usually sit to listen, stand to sing, and either stand or kneel to pray. We encourage you to adopt whatever posture helps your soul to connect with God.
You will notice that we make use of standing, sitting and kneeling - - and for much of the service you will find a variety of postures happening at the same time. We do NOT all do the same things here, although a general rule of thumb might be: we usually sit to listen, stand to sing, and either stand or kneel to pray. We encourage you to adopt whatever posture helps your soul to connect with God.
What about my children?
Children do worship - but they do it like children! We welcome your children into worship with you. We have bags in a basket in the back of the church with materials for children (ask the usher for help if you don't see them). If they are readers, we encourage you to help them find their way in the bulletin, hymnal and prayer book. If they have questions for you during the service, don't worry about a little whispering to help them. And although all ages are welcome to receive communion, the priest will follow parents' lead in determining when the best time is for their children to begin to receive.
Communion
Here at St. James we believe that communion is a tangible sign and gift of God's love. We also believe that God does not withhold love from anyone, so we welcome all to our communion table.
If you have mobility issues, and cannot come up the stairs from your pew to the communion rail, please let the usher know that you would like to have communion brought to you in your pew. We do that for someone at almost every service we hold - we're used to doing it and would be so pleased to include you in that way.
If you go up to the rail for communion you will see people going to one side or the other. There IS a difference! You will receive the communion bread on either side (and the priest has gluten free available as well - just ask for it). But the wine is administered differently on the two sides. Going to the left side of the opening in the rail means that you would like to keep your bread when you receive it, and then dip it into the very small chalice of wine when it is brought to you (it's so small that you can't get your fingers into the wine) and then consume bread and wine together after dipping. If you go to the right side of the opening in the rail, that means that you wish to eat the bread when you are given it, and then to sip from the large common chalice when it is presented to you. You may NOT dip your bread into that chalice. If you do not wish to receive wine at all, feel free to go to either side and then simply leave the rail after you have received the bread. If you wish to receive neither the bread nor the wine, but wish to receive a blessing from the priest, you may also go to either side and simply place your hands across your chest.
If you have mobility issues, and cannot come up the stairs from your pew to the communion rail, please let the usher know that you would like to have communion brought to you in your pew. We do that for someone at almost every service we hold - we're used to doing it and would be so pleased to include you in that way.
If you go up to the rail for communion you will see people going to one side or the other. There IS a difference! You will receive the communion bread on either side (and the priest has gluten free available as well - just ask for it). But the wine is administered differently on the two sides. Going to the left side of the opening in the rail means that you would like to keep your bread when you receive it, and then dip it into the very small chalice of wine when it is brought to you (it's so small that you can't get your fingers into the wine) and then consume bread and wine together after dipping. If you go to the right side of the opening in the rail, that means that you wish to eat the bread when you are given it, and then to sip from the large common chalice when it is presented to you. You may NOT dip your bread into that chalice. If you do not wish to receive wine at all, feel free to go to either side and then simply leave the rail after you have received the bread. If you wish to receive neither the bread nor the wine, but wish to receive a blessing from the priest, you may also go to either side and simply place your hands across your chest.
After the Service
Unlike almost every other Episcopal Church, we do NOT have a coffee hour after our services! But we do love to hang around and talk with each other afterwards. And we take advantage of other opportunities to gather together for meals or fellowship.
